Release Detail

February 22, 2007 - U.S. Should Provide Health Care/Insurance For All,
American Voters Tell Quinnipiac University Poll;
Most Would Pay Higher Taxes For Health Care

By a 64 - 31 percent margin, American voters say, "It's the government's responsibility to
make sure everyone in the United States has adequate health care," according to a
Quinnipiac University national poll released today.

"Paying for it? That's always the rub and it's true on the health-care issue, where
support drops from 2 - 1 to a slim majority."

Health care in the U.S. is "excellent" or "good," 44 percent of American voters say,
while 55 percent say it is "not so good" or "poor."

But 64 percent of voters say health care in their community is "excellent" or
"good," while 34 percent say "not so good" or "poor."

In an open-ended question, where voters can give any answer, 36 percent of
American voters list the war in Iraq as the most important problem facing the nation,
followed by 9 percent who list the economy and 7 percent each for health care and foreign
policy in general.

By a 54 - 40 percent margin, American voters say it's the government's
responsibility to make sure everyone in the U.S. has health insurance.

Only 6 percent of voters have heard or read "a lot" about president George W.
Bush's proposal to help people get health insurance through tax incentives, but 62 percent
have heard or read "some" or "a little" about the proposal.

Of those who have read or heard "a lot," "some" or "a little" about the President's
health insurance plan, 40 percent support it, while 41 percent oppose it. Of this group,
only 12 percent say the plan goes far enough, while 68 percent say more needs to be done.

"Americans don't know a lot about President Bush's health insurance proposal, but
those who are familiar with what the President called for (and which Democrats promptly
condemned) are split on whether to support it," Carroll said.

"The big criticism: The President's plans don't go far enough."

From February 13 - 19 Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,536 American voters
with a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percent.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts
public opinion surveys in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Florida,
Ohio and nationwide as a public service and for research.
For more data - www.quinnipiac.edu and click on Institutes and Centers, or call (203) 582-5201.

24. Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the
right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?

34. President Bush has suggested a plan to help more people get health insurance
through tax incentives. How much have you heard or read about his proposal -
a lot,some, only a little or nothing at all.